Talkback: Brussels sprouts

You're not alone Joey, this is my first year of growing Brassicas...first the Wood Pigeons got 'em, then the White Fly, then the Caterpillars...I netted to keep off the birds and rabbits with some of that orange building site netting and stakes, with some 1" green netting over the top, but next year I will net to keep off the birds AND the butterflys, with finer mesh!!! Make sure your netting is fine enough to exclude the Butterflys, cos they will force their way through the bigger holed stuff, as I found out. They are most persistant!!!I spent hours picking off and squashing the damn caterpillars and eggs, and the smell is stomach turning. It was most disheartening, but I was persistant, and the sproughts are really nice to eat, quite mild at the moment as they have not had a frost.

My first time of growing sprouts they look so damaged but the sprouts themselves look nice an tight and safe. I didn't see those nasty caterpillars til it was to late for one of the plants so then it was out with a bucket of salty water every night I didn't know what else to do not knowing any other gardeners except here and being quite new to it too I will be better prepared next year tho!

this is the first year on my allotment. i done sprouts and cabbages my sprouts have blown the are not little balls. the cabbage white have seen the rest off. so next year i am going to put some fine netting over them. and if any get on them i will take them off and kill them. so lets hope next year is a better one.